KOTA BARU: The final decision on candidates to contest under Pas ticket in the upcoming state elections lies with the Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.
Its vice president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said Hadi was the one who made the final decision on the names of candidates.
This, he said was after they have undergo several screenings before their names were picked and approved.
"Pas' top leaders have held several meetings to select the best candidates after getting the lists from the respective state leaders.
"When the appointment letters were issued by the president, it was his decision.
"There are steps needed to be followed. It is not the state's decision. The president is the one who approved them," he said in his speech at an event to introduce three state seat candidates in Pengkalan Chepa last night.
Apart from Mohd Amar who will be contesting the Panchor state seat, the other two candidates are Datuk Dr Izani Husin (Kijang) and Nik Baharom Nik Abdullah (Chempaka).
Mohd Amar said the people should understand the processes involved and that the issue of one person attempting to drop another does not arise.
"Anyone can be the candidate as long as his names were approved by the leaders.
"The strength of the ummah as a congregation is not based on individual's will," he said.
He was commenting on news reports following a 158-second viral video featuring Nik Din Nik Mat, the younger brother of the late Pas spiritual leader Tan Sri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
In the video, Nik Din questioned why Nik Aziz's son, Nik Mohamad Abduh was not on the party's list of candidates.
He also claimed that Mohd Amar was the mastermind in dropping Nik Mohamad Abduh's name in the Perikatan Nasional candidates list.
Responding to this, Mohd Amar described the accusation as slander and denied he had anything to do with the party's decision to drop Nik Mohamad Abduh.
Yesterday, Pas deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also brushed off Nik Din's claim, and urged party leaders, members and supporters to focus on winning the state polls.